EU: Second progress report of SVHC Roadmap is now available

On 4 April 2016, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)[1] published its 2nd report[2] on the progress of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) Roadmap to 2020. It summarises activities of substances screening, data generation and assessment, risk management option analysis (RMOA) in 2015 and planned activities in 2016. Overall, the SVHC Roadmap is in good progress. More potential substances are assessed. This helps to get closer to the 2020 target[3] i.e. to have all relevant, currently known SVHCs included in the Candidate List by 2020.

Back in February 2013, the European Commission developed a “Roadmap for SVHC to 2020”. The ultimate goal is to have all relevant, currently known SVHCs included in the Candidate List by 2020. This roadmap aims to have a clear planning for screening and risk management option (RMO) assessment[4] and this forms the building blocks for future work on SVHC assessment and identification beyond 2020.

The annual report shows the increased number of screened and evaluated substances. More importantly, the focus of concerned substances is now shifted from known carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR) to substances with other properties, such as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) and endocrine disruptors (ED). More SVHCs may be identified because of these properties. Moreover, the Public Activities Coordination Tools (PACT)[5] has been enhanced. It lists the substances subject to the RMOA or the informal assessment of PBT/vPvB or ED properties. PACT shows the above activities are either under development or completed. This annual report also explains that the implementation of the SVHC Roadmap begins to be clear. The Roadmap helps by not only identifying more SVHCs but it also supports the identification of substances to be restricted or regulated by other EU legislation.